Open Net Read online

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Copyright © 2019 Brittney Mulliner

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-13: 978- 1090133052

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the author.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Also By Brittney Mulliner

  Exclusive Content

  Open Net:

  1. Emma

  2. Olli

  3. Emma

  4. Olli

  5. Emma

  6. Olli

  7. Emma

  8. Olli

  9. Emma

  10. Olli

  11. Emma

  12. Olli

  13. Emma

  14. Olli

  15. Emma

  16. Olli

  17. Emma

  18. Olli

  19. Emma

  20. Olli

  21. Emma

  22. One Week Later

  Thank you!

  Coming Soon

  Full Strength

  About the Author

  Find Out More

  Also By Brittney Mulliner

  Romance:

  Utah Fury Hockey

  Puck Drop (Reese and Chloe)

  Match Penalty (Erik and Madeline)

  Line Change (Noah and Colby)

  Attaching Zone (Wyatt and Kendall)

  Buzzer Beater (Colin and Lucy)

  Open Net (Olli and Emma)

  Full Strength (Grant and Addison)

  Young Adult:

  Begin Again Series

  Begin Again

  Live Again

  Love Again (Coming Soon)

  Charmed Series

  Finding My Charming

  Finding My Truth (Coming Soon)

  Standalones

  The Invisibles

  Exclusive Content

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  Brittney’s Reader’s club here

  Open Net:

  Rule 53.8

  For the purpose of this rule, an “open net” is defined as one from which a goalkeeper has been removed for an additional attacking player. The goalkeeper is considered off the ice once the replacement player has entered the playing surface.

  (per NHL Rulebook, www.nhl.com/nhl/en/v3/ext/rules/2018-2019-NHL-rulebook.pdf)

  1

  Emma

  My phone hadn’t stopped buzzing since the first call. Kendall took it out of my hands and turned it off.

  “They can call me if they need you. Right now, all you need to do is focus on your husband.” Her blue eyes mirrored my concern.

  I nodded, still numb. Olli was supposed to drive home with me, but he went with Hartman to the arena. He wanted to check in with Coach before practice the next day.

  Neither of them should have been on Main street. They should have been on the other side of town, not in a car accident. We all should have been at home right now, unpacking from our Mexico trip. I shook my head and scanned the waiting room. Everyone had shown up, wearing the same thing they’d been in at the airport. We were all tired and they could be at home, but they were here. With me. My family.

  Chloe sat next to me, staring straight ahead, her chestnut hair flowing over her shoulders, a bit mused. This was so unlike her. She was supposed to be composed, taking charge and managing everyone. Her silence was the scariest thing to me. Erik and Reese were each pacing a different side of the room. No one knew what to say. We didn’t have enough information yet.

  I hated that Kendall was having to be the strong one. She was just as scared as me. The love of her life, Wyatt, was in a room somewhere down the hall, too.

  I squeezed her hand. “Shouldn’t we have heard something by now?”

  Her eyes met mine and she shrugged, her blonde curls bouncing around her shoulders. “I have no idea. I’m usually the one in the room.”

  That just made me feel worse. Her kidney disease was serious, thankfully, she received a transplant just a few weeks ago, but we still worried about her.

  “I’m sorry, Kendall. I-”

  She cut me off. “Don’t be sorry. None of this is normal. We don’t know what to expect.”

  I sighed and leaned back. No one had come out to talk to us. All we knew so far was what the paramedics told us over the phone. There was an accident and they were taking Olli and Hartman to the hospital. I didn’t know what caused the accident, if other people were involved, or anyone’s condition.

  Two police officers were milling around when we got to the emergency room, but they didn’t have any information for us. Just like the nurses. Each of us had tried demanding more information about Hartman and Olli, but all we got was that they were in with the doctors. They kept telling us they would get us information as soon as they had it. For all I knew, they might some scrapes and bruises. Or things could be a lot more serious.

  Erik huffed and stormed over to the check-in desk again. I couldn’t hear him, but I knew he was feeling the same frustration I was. He pointed over to us and looked like he was yelling. I sighed and stood up. Yelling at some poor nurse wasn’t going to help.

  “I’m sorry, sir. We haven’t received any updates yet.”

  I held onto Erik’s arm. “Thank you. Please let us know when you do.”

  The nurse seemed to relax and smiled before I turned and walked away.

  “I can let the press in and have them put more pressure on them to give us answers.” Erik practically growled.

  “I appreciate the thought,” I said, “but that’s the last thing we need.”

  The emergency room doors opened, and Coach Romney and Rust walked through. I locked eyes with Coach Romney as he walked to me. “Emma, are you okay?”

  I nodded. “I wasn’t in the car with them.”

  “I know, but…the baby?”

  I placed a hand over my belly. I wasn’t due for another four weeks, and the thought of our baby coming too early worried me.

  I tried to take a deep breath but couldn’t. There was no relaxing until I knew Olli was okay.

  “Let’s sit down.” Coach led me back to Kendall and sat across from us. He glanced at Chloe and patted her leg. “Everything is going to be okay. They’re tough.”

  He had no way of knowing but hearing someone say those words I desperately needed was a relief. Kendall crumpled next to me. She broke down into sobs and covered her face with her hands. “How do you know?”’

  I pulled her against me and squeezed her shoulders. The baby kicked and I focused on being strong. I had more than just myself to think about. I couldn’t crumble now. “It has to be, Kendall. Right now, we have to be positive. Once we get more news, we can face it. Okay?”

  Kendall wiped her eyes and blinked up at me. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have to comfort me. You’re going through just as much.”

  I hugged her tight. “We’re all scared right now, but we have to be here for each other. We’ll get through this.”

  She nodded. “I just wish we knew what was happening.”

  “Me too.” I rubbed her back and stared at the doors waiting for them to open and reveal a doctor waiting to tell us our guys were fine.

  Minutes passed in silence, no one spoke and rarely moved. Noises from other patients swirled around us, but they didn’t pierce through our trance.

  The doors swung open and a doctor walked out. “Mrs. Letang and Mrs. Hartman?”

  Kendall turned to me with eyes open wide, eyebrows raised, and a small O on
her lips. Now wasn’t the time to correct them on her relationship status, so I grabbed her hand and pulled her to the doctor with me.

  “That’s us,” I said.

  He nodded and peered past us to our family. “Quite the group you have with you.”

  “Almost half the team.”

  He smirked. “Should I be the one to tell them or would you like to?”

  I narrowed my eyes. “What?”

  “That they all came down here for some lacerations and bruising. Mr. Letang has some bruising on the right side of his body from the impact, and Mr. Hartman is showing signs of a concussion, but he assured me he’s had worse.”

  Kendall looked at me. “They’re okay?”

  I nodded. “I think so.” I turned back to the doctor. “They’re all right?”

  He smiled gently. “Yes, they might be sore tomorrow, and you’re going to have to monitor Mr. Hartman through the night, but they’re okay.”

  I let out a sigh and hugged Kendall. “They’re okay.”

  She laughed and squeezed me. “Thank heaven.”

  I peered up at the doctor. “Can we see them?”

  He laughed. “I can do you one better.” He pushed the doors open and revealed Olli and Hartman being wheeled out to us. Olli gave me a rueful smile. It was so good to see his too-long dark hair and stubble. Other than some purple blotches on his cheek he looked like he just came back from a week of vacation.

  I shook my head and ran to him, throwing my arms around his shoulders. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again.”

  He rubbed his hands up and down my back. “I’m so sorry, Emma. I wanted to text you and let you know we were okay, but I couldn’t find my phone.”

  I stepped back and swatted his arm. “That’s because you left it in my purse.”

  He laughed. “I’m sorry.”

  I turned to Hartman and examined him. “You’re okay?”

  Kendall was still wrapped around him and didn’t seem like she was going to let go anytime soon.

  “Yeah I’m fine. My phone shattered in the accident so I couldn’t text you guys either.”

  “What happened?”

  He shook his head. “Someone ran a red light to make a left turn. I guess he didn’t see us and hit us almost head on. It wasn’t too bad, but the airbags deployed, which is why we’re so cut up.”

  The rest of the team stepped up, joining us. Both coaches checked the guys over but were convinced they were fine.

  “Don’t you guys scare us like that again,” Coach Rust chastised them.

  “Are you going to tell us we can’t drive anymore? Is that another restricted activity?” Olli’s mocking earned him a glare.

  “Maybe,” Coach said. “Keep pushing and you’ll find out.”

  Once the guys had talked to everyone and nerves were settled, we walked back to our car. “Mind if you give us a ride?” Hartman asked, as he was getting in the backseat.

  Kendall rolled her eyes. “You could have waited for Olli to say yes.”

  “He’d never tell me no.” Hartman said confidently.

  I turned around. “Of course, we would never tell you no, but maybe you should stick with Uber for a little while.”

  Hartman glared at me. “What are you saying?”

  I smiled. “That your car is going to be in the shop for a while.”

  “You’re not commenting on my driving?”

  I shook my head. “I’d never.”

  Kendall scoffed. “You’re walking everywhere from now on. You live close enough to everything you need.”

  “No way. I can’t be in public that much.” Hartman said with a shudder. “I’ll get hounded.”

  Kendall rolled her eyes. “You’re not that big a deal. No one cares about you at the cafe anymore.”

  He blew out a breath and I laughed and turned back around. Olli and I dropped the two of them off at his building and I finally relaxed.

  My husband was fine. I took his hand and squeezed. “You scared me.”

  “I’m so sorry, Emma. It all happened so fast. I had the paramedics call you, but I thought they would tell you we weren’t hurt.”

  “All I was told was that you were in an accident and on your way to the hospital.”

  He squeezed my hand before raising it to his lips. “I’m sorry, honey.”

  I leaned across the center consul and rested my head on his shoulder. I was grateful it was late enough that there were only a few cars on the road. I wanted to get home and lock us in where nothing bad could happen.

  I couldn’t let myself think about what would happen if the accident was more serious. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him. I was so grateful I didn’t have to worry about that.

  When we pulled into our driveway my stomach began to unclench. We were home. Safe. Together.

  “Let’s get you inside and put your feet up.” He said as he turned off the car.

  I glanced down at my ankles which were almost double their normal size. “Yes please.”

  Flying and stress weren’t exactly ideal while being pregnant and my body was visably protesting.

  I followed him into the house, letting him carry our bags upstairs while I collapsed on the couch.

  “Here’s some water,” he said, handing me a glass, “and a pickle.”

  I smiled up at him and accepted his offerings. “Thank you.” I inspected the pickle and bit my lip. Before I could ask, a jar of peanut butter and a spoon appeared. I laughed and took them. “You’re the best.”

  He laughed and sat across from me. “I thought these cravings were supposed to die down.”

  I shrugged. “Every pregnancy is different.”

  “Lucky you.” He laid back and turned on the TV, immediately turning to SportsCenter. Normally I’d protest, but he’d gone a week without ESPN, and I was content with my snack.

  “Olli Letang and Wyatt Hartman were in a vehicle collision this afternoon and both were taken to the hospital,” the news anchor said. “We’ve heard from Coach Romney that both are doing well and should be playing in the game this Saturday.”

  “How have they already heard?” I shook my head and took a bite of pickle.

  “It’s their job to know.” He changed the channel, hopefully looking for something less personal.

  “This okay?” He’d stopped on a sitcom we watched occasionally, and I nodded. By the second episode, I was stuffed and tired.

  “I’m going to head up to bed.” I tried to stand, but my stomach kept putting me off-balance. “I swear I’ve doubled in the past two days.”

  Olli laughed and stood to help me up. “I’ll lock up and be there in a minute.”

  I waddled up the stairs and changed into pajamas. By the time Olli walked into the room I was crawling into bed.

  “That was fast.” He said with a laugh.

  I smiled. “I’m a woman on a mission.”

  He walked over and kissed my forehead before going into the bathroom.

  I settled in and pulled the blankets up to my chin. It was hard to get comfortable these days but being back in my own bed felt like a dream. I pulled my body pillow between my knees and sighed. It was so good to be home…

  A piercing pain.

  I opened my eyes and scanned my darkened room. I slowly rolled over and pulled myself up.

  “Ah.” I gripped my belly. Something was wrong.

  The pain flashed again. “Olli.”

  He sat up and turned to me. “What’s wrong?”

  I was surprised by his alertness, but grateful.

  “Something’s happening. I felt a pain. It’s nothing like they described in our Lamaze class, though.”

  He rolled over and turned on his lamp. “We still have four weeks until you’re due.”

  The pain started again. “Ah,” I cringed. “It hurts.”

  “Like contractions?”

  I blew out a breath. “I don’t know. Maybe?”

  “How far apart are they?”

  I tried to take
a deep breath but was stopped by another sharp pain. “Too close.”

  “Let’s go.” He was up and dressed before I could get my legs to the side of the bed. “I’ve got you.” He pulled me up to stand and half-carried me down the stairs. Once I was in the car, he leaned in and kissed my forehead. “I’ve got to grab the hospital bag.”

  I nodded and focused on managing my breathing. Within seconds he was back and in the car. I watched the clock, timing the pain. I didn’t want to call them contractions. That made them too real. This wasn’t real. I wasn’t about to have a baby. It wasn’t time.

  “It’s too soon to have this baby,” I said, gripping his arm. His eyes mirrored my terror, but he said, “It’s going to be okay.”

  I wish I could believe him.

  “Almost there, honey.”

  I nodded and squeezed my eyes shut through another flash of searing pain.

  2

  Olli

  After calling the hospital and letting them know we were on our way, I drove like I was in the Indie 500. It seemed like every light in the city conspired against me. Every single one turned red as I approached. With each whimper coming from the seat next to me I grew more tempted to run them, but the last thing we needed was to get in an accident. Again.

  Emma sucked in a breath and I glanced over in time to see her curled into herself, clutching her belly. With her seat in the reclined position, her blonde hair fanned out over the leather seat. Her normally bright blue eyes were shut tight as she grimaced in pain. This was really happening. I was going to be a dad.